Tag Archives: CBP

A man was caught “white-handed” at John F. Kennedy (JFK) International Airport for trying to smuggle nearly five pounds of cocaine in the handle rails of his luggage, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers (CBP) said.

On June 5, Warren Hawk, a U.S. citizen traveling from Guyana back to New York, was stopped at border inspection when CBP officials noticed the handles on his luggage were unusually large, according to officials. He was escorted to a private search room where officers opened one of the handles revealing a white powdery substance that tested positive for cocaine.

In total there was about 4.82 pounds of cocaine seized from the handles of Hawk’s luggage, with a street value of more than $82,000., CBP said. Hawk was placed under arrest at the scene and is now facing federal narcotics smuggling charges.

After arriving on a Dec. 14 flight, Ciara Ryan, 38, was selected by CBP officers for a random baggage examination. They examined her first bag and found a strong odor of glue coming from it. Upon further inspection, the officers discovered alterations to its bottom, and within the alterations were several suspected counterfeit U.S. $100 bills, CBP said.

A black leather satchel that she was also carrying was examined and officers found more suspected counterfeit bills concealed within its lining.

Ryan was arrested and a total of 1,500 counterfeit $100 bills were seized, according to CBP.

She will be prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the U.S. Eastern District Court of New York.

CBP officers were inspecting the baggage of Erika Rodriguez de los Santos, who had just arrived on a flight from Santo Domingo on November 18, and found five hair product containers that felt unusually heavy. After investigating further, they discovered the “containers produced an oil-like substance that tested positive for cocaine.” The drugs weighed a total of 6.27 pounds.

Rodriguez was arrested for the import of narcotics and faces federal narcotics smuggling charges, according to CBP.